Lowering chute



`uly 30, 1929. F, ARDEE ET AL, 1,722,675

LOWERING CHUTE Filed June l5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l l A T ORNE y July 3o, 1929. "FQPARDE ETiAL, 1322,675

LOWERING CHUTE Filed June l5, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3Q, 1929.

UNITED s'rA'rEsv razze-i5 Partnr carica.

FRANK PARIDIEE AND FRANK PARDEE, JR., OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGrNf ORS TO ANTHRACITE SEPARATOR COMPANY, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA LowERrNG CHUTE.

Application led June 15,

coal in storage yards or silos although notv limited to such use. Chutes of this general character heretofore consti'ucted have been supported by means of a skeleton framework usually including a plurality of uprights arranged on the exterior of the conveyor thread and tied to one another by cross-bracing so as to stiffen the skeleton structure against lateral deflection. In other types, the conveyor has been supported by means of an axial post h aving radially extending rods to which the runway of the conveyor was secured. In another form of construction, the chute included a plurality of uprights having a stiff spiral iiange secured to and forming the solel bracing for the uprights and a runway supported on brackets secured to the spiral' flangeA and the uprights.

The present inventionV aims to provide improvements over the former constructions and involves the use of a rolled metal section having an inwardly extending iange adapted to support substantially flat segmental plates forming part of the runway. The present improvement also provides an upper inwardly extending guard flange which servies tol prevent the material travelling along the runway Vfrom climbing up and spilling over the outer edge thereof.

The invention will be fully apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawl ings and will be defined with particularity in the appended claims. In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the ripper end of a lowering chute embodying our inven-I tion;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; y Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view 1n section of one of the channel sections; Y I.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is aV similar section illustrating a slight modification; V i Fig. 6 is a view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a view at right angles to Fig.r6; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 illustrate modifications. Referring in detail to the drawings, we provide a pair of diametrcally arranged upn parts being suitably spliced together byv means of'connection plates 18 such as indicated in Fig. 2, the ends of the different parts making a butt joint 20 and being bolted to the upright as shown.Y The inwardly eX- tending flange 14 of the member' 12 provides means whereby the runway can be supported in an inwardly and downwardly-inclined position.' Asshownin the drawings, the runway is composed of a series of substantially flat segmental plates 22 which are secured near their outer edges to ythe fiange 14 by means of bolts '24. The lower end 26 of each section overlaps the upper portion v28 of the section next below and they are oined by a bolt or rivet as indicated at 30 near-the inner edge of the runway.

The spiral member 12 of Figs 1 and 34 beingof substantially channel shape in crosssection includes an upper flange 32 which serves as a guard lpreventing the material travelling on the runway from climbing up and spilling over the outer edge thereof. The flanges 14 and 32V alsoserve to greatly rigidify the structure transversely. And because of this rigidity, the entire structure can be supported solely by two uprightslO. Or in some cases by using a slightly heavier channel section 12, the uprights may be dispensed with by merely securing suitablel lat eral braces to any adjacent iixed structure and attaching them to the channel memlber12. L

It is desirable in lowering chutes to have the runway so supported -that the outer por tion thereof, in ya radial' line, is higher than the inner edge thereof.' In Aother words,

it is preferable to have the runway inclined' inwardly and downwardly so as to assist in '.eretefore te securel this inclination it Fig. 3. This has a. tendency to increasev the downward inclination of the inner face of theflange 14 so as to provide a properly inwardly inclined seat for the outer edges of the segmental plates 22 of which the runway is formed.

Instead of supporting the runway plates on the flange -of a rolled channel shaped member, we may use other flanged rolled members such as angles or the like. For example, in Fig. 5, we have shown a modification in whichthe spiral member 12a is in the form of a so-called bulb-angle having a runway supporting flange 142L and an upper bulbous shallow flange 32a.

At the upper end of the apparatus, a suitable inclined feed chute 34 is provided which delivers coal or other material to be handled to the upper part of the, runway.

Analternative' embodiment o'f the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein A 40b all inclined horizontal.

the uprights 10-#10 are dispensed with and` Vthe spiral structure is selfsupporting.

this form of chute,ythe spiral shaped rolled` member 12 will be of slightly heavier weight per unit of length than that shown in Fig.' 1. Near the lower end of the structure, short supporting brackets or legs 36 will be Abolted or otherwise secured as indicated at 38 to the web portion of the rolled member 12. These legs willbe provided with feet 40 anchored to a supporting base 42.

In some cases, the lowering chutes will be secured to the floors of storage bins. These bins in practice are of different form and Vthe supporting legs 36 can be formed to suit. For example, in Fig. 8, we have shown the legs 36 having the feet 4()a disposed at proper angle to engage the inclined surfaces of the flooring of a V-shaped bin 44. Fig. 9 illustrates how the self-supporting spiral `may be secured to the inclined floor o f a `binror other structure, the legs 36b in this form having the under surfaces of their feet Vat the same' angle to Ythe F ig. 10 shows a further Ymodification 1n which` the legs 36C have vtheir feet 4()c bent v to engage the inclined surfaces 46 of the floor of a binformed like an inverted V.

The improved piling chute herein de-v scribed is devoid of all cross-bracing and the runway is supported at its outer edge solely ibers against which the material discharged will strike. Lowering chutes of the class described are frequently 'used for piling coal in storage silos or other enclosures where there is no provision for heating and frequently the coal is handled wet and the entire mass freezes or solidifies. l/Vith our improved lowering chute which is devoid of cross-bracings and in those forms which are also devoid of uprights, there is muchV less tendency to block the flow of coal from the coal pocket or bin than exists in the structures heretofore provided which offer many project-ions and crevices for the coal to freeze fast to and thus obstruct the flow of coal from the pocket and make it extremely difficult to clean the same. l v Y While we have described quite specifically the embodiments of the invention illustrated, it is not to be construed that we are limited thereto since changes in arrangement and substitutions of, equivalents may be made by those skilled in thevart without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What we claimisz-k- Y 1. A spiral chute comprising ayplurality of uprights, a spiral section secured thereto having an integral web and an inwardly projecting flange and a spiral runway including a series of metal plates secured to theinner fac'e of said flange adjacent said web.

2. A spiral chute including a rolled metal spiral section having an integral web and an inwardly projecting flange and a spiral runway supported solelyV by said flange.

3. A spiral chute including ka rolled metal spiral section having an integral web and an inwardly projecting flange and a spiral runway supported solely by said flange, saidA runway comprising a series of substantiallyA flat segmental metal plates secured at their outer edges to the inner face of said flange, said plates being inclined inwardly and downwardly. f

5. A spiral lowering chute comprising only two oppositely disposed uprights, a spiral rolled section havingl anY integral web and flange, the web being secured directly to said uprights, and a runway comprising a series of substantially flatsegmental metal plates secured at their outer edges to the inner face of said flange, said plates being iinclined and downwardly. l

v6. A spiral lowering" chute Vincluding a spiral runway supportingmember of channel shape in cross-sectiomthe lower flange of said channel shaped member having a series of segmental plates secured thereto to form a runway, the upper flange 0f said member forming a guard to prevent the material from climbing over the outer edge of said member.

7. A spiral lowering chute including a pair of uprights, a rolled metal section having its web secured directly to said uprights and an upper inwardly extending guard flange anda lower inwardly extending supporting flange and a runway comprising a series of substantially flat segmental plates secured at their outer edges to said supporting flange. Y

8. A spiral chute including a rolled metal spirally formed channel section havingv a bowed web portion and slightly flaring flanges, the inner faces of said flanges being inclined with respect to their outer faces and a spiral runway comprising a series of segmental 4plates secured at their inner edges to the inner inclined face of one of said flanges.

9. AA spiral chute Comprising a rolled metal flanged section of spiral form having a series of overlapping plates secured to one another and to a flange of said section and bracing the structure so that it is self-supporting.

- 10. A spiral chute comprising a rolled channel section of spiral formi having a series of overlapping plates secured to ,one another and to a flange of said section and bracing the structure so that it is self-supporting.

11. A spiral chute comprising a roller metal flanged section of spiral form having a series of overlapping plates secured to one another and to a flange of said section and bracing the structure so that it is self-supporting and a base member secured to said section so that the structure is capable of standing upright without external support.v

ln witness whereof, We have hereunto signed' our names.

FRANK PARDEE. FRANK PARDEE, JR. 

